I am a 26-year-old man. I have been in a relationship for the past five years and my girlfriend and I want to tie the knot soon. My problem is that I am impotent. I am scared of telling my girlfriend about this as I might lose her. However, I know how badly she wants to have a child. What should I do?

Name and address withheld

Why don’t you run an advertisement about your impotence on the obituary page and pray to god she sees it. Obviously tell her. What else? This is the worst thing you would do if you hid this reality from her. Stand up (or well not in your case) and be a man!

I am a 15-year-old girl. I have been very upset with my best friend of late. People have always compared the two of us but it never made a difference to us — or so I thought. I recently got to know that my friend resents the fact that I’m taller than her and also that I get more marks than her in school. She has been bitching about me behind my back. I’m very hurt. What should I do?

Sonali, via e-mail

Listen Sonali, I do not have the time for all this drivel. We have far more serious problems with people on this page. Some people are impotent and others alcoholic. Do we really care if you and that silly little cow friend of yours don’t get along? Just work your way and if things don’t happen find some friend. Worse, add Mamata Banerjee on your Facebook list of friends and be done with it.

I’m a 32-year- old and happily married. Recently I had gone abroad for work. One night, I got drunk and ended up sleeping with a woman I met at the hotel. I have no feelings for her whatsoever. It was a mistake and I really regret it. Should I tell my wife?

Name and address withheld

Obviously tell your wife. Only because one day you might get drunk again and then tell her. So why postpone the inevitable. All I need to know was which city and which hotel and if at all you might remember ‘her’ name. With all the travelling I do, I have never had such luck or perhaps such fine alcohol.       

HELP AT HAND

Alcoholics anonymous

10A, Nandan Road, Near Ganja Park, Calcutta - 25
Ph: 24191174
E-mail: aakolkata_ig03@rediffmail.com
For free help on alcoholism
Timings: 2.00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays

Narcotics anonymous (Kolkata area helpline)

Self-help group of recovering addicts
Ph: 9836223071
Website: www.nakolkata.org
Email: info@nakolkata.org

Lifeline Foundation

Ph: 2463 7401/ 2463 7432
Free tele helpline for the depressed, distressed or suicidal.
Timings: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday through Saturdays

Society for positive atmosphere & related support to hiv/aids (sparsha)

AE-36, Rabindra Pally, PO: Prafulla Kana, Calcutta — 01
Ph: 2591 0334, 2591 3852, 6529, 9856
Free tele-counselling and one-on-one counselling on personal relationships and HIV/ AIDS
Timings: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mondays through Fridays

Pronam

38/1, Beltala Road,Calcutta -19
Senior Citizen’s Emergency
Co-ordination Control Room
Ph: 24190740

Teenline (cini-yuva)

Telecounseling and one-on-one counselling on sex and sexuality, emotional and career problems.
By appointment only
Phone no.: 2461 1463
Mondays through Saturdays
(10 a.m. to 5 p.m. )